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List of video game consoles
Nintendo Entertainment System (1985-1995) Colored white, gray and red, the NES can fit up to two controllers. The only buttons on the system itself are a power switch button and a reset button. You must open up the lid to insert a cartridge. The controller contains a black Control Pad on the left, black Select and Start buttons on the middle, and red B and A Buttons on the right. The Nintendo logo is also labeled on the controller. Other merchandise includes the Zapper Light Gun (for Duck Hunt), the Power Pad (for World Class Track Meet), and the new-style NES. Nintendo of America has released 18 games on the same date the NES was released -- 10-Yard Fight, Baseball, Clu Clu Land, Donkey Kong Jr. Math, Duck Hunt, Excitebike, Golf, Gyromite, Hogan’s Alley, Ice Climber, Kung Fu, Mach Rider, Pinball, Stack-Up, Tennis, Wild Gunman, Wrecking Crew, and Super Mario Bros.. The NES was released on July 15, 1983 as the Family Computer in Japan, on October 18, 1985 in North America, on September 1, 1986 in Europe, and in 1989 in South Korea as the Hyundai Comboy. A peripheral for the Famicom (short for Family Computer), known as the Famicom Disk System, was released on February 21, 1986. Both the Famicom Disk System and South Korea's Hyundai Comboy were discontinued in 1992. Sales of NES games lasted through August 14, 1995. NES games can hold between 192 kilobits and 6 megabits, depending on the video graphics and gameplay. nes.jpg|Promotional image nes_logo.png|NES logo nes_console.png|NES console Family_Computer.jpg|Family Computer hyundaicomboy.jpg|Hyundai Comboy Game Boy (1989-1998) The first handheld game console from Nintendo, it is white with the same controls as the NES, except the B and A Buttons are pink, and the Select and Start Buttons are gray. To turn on the system, slide the switch on the top. Requires two AA batteries. The game pak is much smaller than the NES, and is shaped like a square. It will also fit in later Game Boy systems. If a game requires two players, a Game Link Cable is available for that. The original Game Boy only has a black and white screen, like a calculator and other electronics. Before the system itself ended, a new Game Boy pocket was introduced in 1996 at a retail price of $59.95. The Game Boy was released in Japan on April 21, 1989, in North America on July 31, 1989, in Europe on September 28, 1990, and in South Korea late in 1990 as the Mini Comboy (which is almost completely identical to the original design, but with the words "Mini Comboy" added). There was also an extremely rare Toyota Game Boy design only seen in Japan, which of course, was also not available in stores back then. Game Boy games carry between 512 kilobits and 8 megabits, and only contain grayscaled colors. The Game Boy was replaced by the Game Boy Color in 1998. gameboy.jpg|Promotional image gameboy_logo.png|Game Boy logo gameboy_console.png|Game Boy console Super NES (1991-1999) This 16-bit system can fit up to two controllers. It has a power switch to the left, an eject button in the middle, and a reset slider to the right. The controller has the Control Pad on the left, Select and Start buttons on the middle, Y/X/B/A Buttons on the right, L and R buttons on the top. The Y Button is green; the X Button is blue; the B Button is yellow; the A Button is red. The logo is on the top middle. Sega's 16-bit system was known the Sega Genesis. The Super NES was released as the Super Famicom in Japan on November 21, 1990, in North America on August 13, 1991, in Europe on June 4, 1992, and in South Korea late in 1992 as the Super Comboy. A total of 46 million units were sold worldwide. 20 million of them were in North America. Since then, the Super NES competed against the Sega Mega Drive (Sega Genesis in North America). Super NES games contain memory sizes ranging from 4 to 32 megabits, as well as 16-bit video graphics and audio. New video games for the Super NES were released until 1998, and the system was discontinued in 1999 (2003 in Japan). Super Game Boy (1994-1998) In June 1994, an add-on adapter cartridge for the Super NES was introduced -- the Super Game Boy. It allows you to play Game Boy games while using a Super NES. In such cases, a border is included during gameplay. Games released before 1994 only contain the standard border, while games released during the Super Game Boy's existence contain full color graphics for the game and a special border for each certain game. snes.jpg|Promotional image snes_logo.png|Super NES logo superfamicom.jpg|Super Famicom snes_console.png|Super NES console supergameboy.jpg|Super Game Boy Nintendo 64 (1996-2002) This system is similar to the Super NES, except with at least 64 megabits. No eject button, though. It can fit up to four controllers. A typical controller contains the Control Pad on the left, a red Start Button on the middle, a green B button, a blue A button, four yellow C buttons, a Control Stick, L and R Buttons on the top, and a Z Button on the back. The Nintendo 64 was released on June 23, 1996 in Japan, September 29, 1996 in North America, March 1, 1997 in Europe, and later in 1997 in South Korea as the Comboy 64. In just three days after launch in North America, all 350,000 units of the Nintendo 64 were sold. Each unit originally costed $199.95, but that price dropped to $109.99 by 1999. Nintendo 64 games can hold as much as 512 megabits. But in order to play such games, you will need the Expansion Pak. With this accessory, the N64 will increase from 4 MB to 8 MB of memory. This system contains 64-bit graphics and CD quality sound running at 94 MHz, and the capability of being connected simultaneously with a Super NES console on the same TV screen. nintendo64.jpg|Promotional image n64_logo.png|Nintendo 64 logo n64_console.png|Nintendo 64 console Game Boy Color (1998-2003) The new Game Boy Color is similar to the first Game Boy, except the screen is available in color. To turn on the system, slide the switch to the left of the screen. Requires two AA batteries. The cartridge is a little similar to the first Game Boy. It will also fit in later Game Boy systems, but NOT in the original Game Boy. The Game Link Cable is still required for 2-player games. The Game Boy Color was released in late 1998 in most countries (October 21 in Japan, November 18 in North America, and November 23 in Europe). Its games can carry anywhere between 4 to 16 megabits. This handheld console was sold at a price of $99.99. gameboycolor.jpg|Promotional image gameboycolor_console.jpg|Game Boy Color console gameboycolor_logo.jpg|Game Boy Color logo Game Boy Advance (2001-2005) Although it looks like the previous Game Boy consoles, this one uses widescreen, at a resolution of 240x160. It also includes L and R Buttons. To turn it on, simply slide the switch on the bottom left. Requires two AA batteries. The cartidge is smaller than the past Game Boy cartridges. It will only fit in Game Boy Advance, SP and Nintendo DS consoles. If you're using a cartridge from previous Game Boy consoles, you can use the L and R buttons to stretch the screen a little. The Game Link Cable can now be used for 2, 3 and 4-player modes. The Game Boy Advance was unveiled on August 24, 2000, and sales began in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, and in Europe on June 22, 2001. Games for this console were produced until 2006. The price was $99.99 for each unit, like the Game Boy Color. The games themselves contain between 32 and 128 megabits of memory. gameboyadvance.jpg|Promotional image gameboyadvance_console.jpg|Game Boy Advance console gameboyadvance_logo.png|Game Boy Advance logo Nintendo GameCube (2001-2006) Unlike the first three consoles (the NES, Super NES and Nintendo 64 -- which are all analog game systems), the GameCube is shaped like a three-dimensional cube. And like the Nintendo 64, it can fit up to four controllers. The GameCube has a power switch, a reset button and an eject button that is used to open the lid and insert game discs (which are the size of an 8 cm mini DVD, marking the GameCube as the first digital console ever made by Nintendo). The controller has a Control Stick on the left, a Start Button in the middle, and Y/X/B/A Buttons on the right. Between the Control Stick and the Start Button is the Control Pad; the yellow C Stick is between the Start Button and the Y/X/B/A Buttons. On the top are the L and R Buttons; below the R Button is a blue Z Button. The game disc is pocket sized. You can also use the Game Boy Player to play Game Boy Advance games on the GameCube. The GameCube was unveiled on August 24, 2000, along with the Game Boy Advance, and was released in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in most other countries in 2002. This system was sold at a price of $199.99 in 2001, but was reduced to $99.99 in 2004. GameCube games carry up to 1.5 GB of data, since they are stored in miniDVD sized optical discs. gamecube.jpg|Promotional image gamecube_console.png|Console gamecube_logo.jpg|GameCube logo e-Reader (2002-2004) The e-Reader, an add-on device for the Game Boy Advance, contains a slot that is used to swipe cards. Occaisonally, the e-Reader comes with a couple of e-Reader cards, like the classic NES titles, Animal Crossing, Game & Watch, and Super Mario Bros. 3-e. It was released in Japan in December 2001, then in North America on September 16, 2002. It was sold at a price of $39.95. e-reader.jpg Game Boy Advance SP (2003-2008) This handheld console is a little dissimilar to the original Game Boy Advance, because it is now shaped like a mini laptop. There is also a version that has designs as the NES. You don't have to just play classic NES games on the NES-designed version of the SP; any game will still work, even if it's not a classic NES game. The Game Boy Advance SP was released on February 14, 2003, in North America on March 23, 2003, and in Europe on March 28, 2003. On June 7, 2004, a limited-edition NES styled version was released. It was discontinued in 2008 along with the original Game Boy Advance. The price for all units was $99.99. gameboyadvancesp.jpg Nintendo DS (2004-2011) The Nintendo DS has two screens. One is just used for game playing, while the other is for touching with the Stylus. You can also play Game Boy Advance games on this handheld console. This console was unveiled on May 11, 2004 during the E3 2004 conference, and was released in North America on November 21, 2004, in Japan on December 2, 2004, in Europe on March 11, 2005, and was discontinued in late 2007. The price was $149.99. A more lightweight redesign of this console, the Nintendo DS Lite, at a price of $129.99, was unveiled on January 26, 2006, and was released in Japan on March 2, 2006, in North America on June 11, 2006, in Europe on June 23, 2006, and as the first console ever from Nintendo of Korea on January 18, 2007. The Nintendo DS logo shown below is taken from the E3 trailer for Kirby Mass Attack. nintendods_logo.jpg|Nintendo DS logo nintendods_console.jpg|Nintendo DS console Wii (2006-2012) The Nintendo Wii is not only a digital console, but also the first ever high-definition console that Nintendo has ever made up to date. It comes with a wireless controller called the "Wii Remote". Games made exclusively for the Wii are stored in DVD/CD-sized optical discs. The Wii is backward compatible with GameCube discs, memory cards, and controllers, as well as wireless connectivity with the Nintendo DS. In addition, there is a Virtual Console service that allows you to play games originally released for the analog consoles (i.e. NES, Super NES and Nintendo 64). This console was unveiled on May 9, 2006, and was released on November 19, 2006 in North America, December 2, 2006 in Japan, December 8, 2006 in Europe, and April 26, 2008 in South Korea. Games were produced until late 2012. The Wii is currently priced at $199.99. The first Wii logo shown above is just a regular logo, while the other two were taken from video game trailers for Kirby's Epic Yarn and Kirby's Return to Dream Land. wii_logo1.jpg|Wii logo wii_logo2.jpg|Wii logo (from Kirby's Epic Yarn) wii_logo3.jpg|Wii logo (from Kirby's Return to Dream Land) wii_console.png|Wii console Nintendo DSi (2009-present) The Nintendo DSi has even more capabilities than the original Nintendo DS, such as a Wi-Fi internet connection using the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector, more RAM, and a larger screen. But unfortunately, it cannot play Game Boy Advance games, and it is region locked -- in other words, certain video games cannot be played on a DSi from another country. The DSi was unveiled on October 2, 2008, and released in Japan on November 1, 2008, in Europe on April 3, 2009, and in North America on April 5, 2009. This console is priced at $169.99 ($149.99 for some units). Nintendo 3DS (2011-present) The Nintendo 3DS is the latest handheld console from Nintendo. It was unveiled on June 15, 2010 during the E3 2010 conference, and was released in Japan on February 26, 2011, in Europe on March 25, 2011, in North America on March 27, 2011, in Latin America in July 2011, in South Korea on April 28, 2012, and in Traditional Chinese speaking countries on September 28, 2012. The Nintendo 3DS is priced at up to $249.99. It is even more expensive than the Nintendo DS, and supports old Nintendo DS games along with 3DS-exclusive titles. And like the DSi, the 3DS also has regional lockout, but unlike all previous consoles (and much like the Wii), it has a Virtual Console service for NES, Game Boy and Game Boy Color games, released on June 6, 2011. nintendo3ds_logo.jpg|Nintendo 3DS logo nintendo3ds_console.png|Nintendo 3DS console Wii U (2012-present) Just released on November 18, 2012 was the Wii U, the current Nintendo console by today's standards. Unlike the Wii, the Wii U has a lot more features that the Wii normally doesn't have. But of course, Wii games can still be played on this system, as there is a backwards-compatibility Wii Menu included. A Wii Remote is, however, indeed required to play the games and use the Wii Menu. The Wii U comes with a game pad and a recharger that can come in handy if the pad runs out of power. The Wii U was also released in Europe on November 30, 2012, and in Japan on December 8, 2012. It was unveiled on June 7, 2011 during the E3 2011 conference. The Wii U is priced at between $299.99 and $349.99. The Nintendo eShop only sells NES and Super NES games as Virtual Console titles. Nintendo 64 games can only be purchased in Wii mode. wiiU_logo.jpg|Wii U logo ASINs Websites Main site (http://www.nintendo.com) *Nintendo Power Source (V1.0) (1996-1997) *Nintendo Power Source (V2.0) (1997-1999) *Nintendo Power Source - The Official Web Site for Nintendo of America, Inc. (1999-2001) *Welcome to Nintendo.com! (May 2001–2003) *Nintendo - Official Site (November 2003–present) Super NES *http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n02/shvc (1996-present; last updated in late 2000) *http://www.nintendo.com/product/snes/snes.html (1996-1997) *http://www.nintendo.com/snes (1997-2001) Nintendo 64 *http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01 (1996-present; last updated in 2001) *http://www.nintendo.com/product/n64/n64.html (1996-1997) *http://www.nintendo.com/n64 (1997-2001) Game Boy/Color *http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n02/dmg (1996-present; last updated in 2001) *http://www.nintendo.com/product/gb/gb.html (1996-1997) *http://www.nintendo.com/gb (1997-2000) *http://www.gameboy.com (2000-2001) Game Boy Advance *http://www.gameboy.com (2001-2003) Nintendo GameCube *http://www.nintendogamecube.com (2001-2003) e-Reader *http://www.nintendo-e-reader.com (2002-2008) Game Boy Advance SP *http://www.gameboy.com/sp (2003-2006) Nintendo DS/DSi *http://www.nintendods.com (2004-2005) *http://www.nintendo.com/channel/ds (2005-2007) *http://www.nintendo.com/ds (2007-2014) Wii *http://www.nintendo.com/wii (2006-2014) Nintendo 3DS *http://www.nintendo.com/3ds (2010-present) Wii U *http://www.nintendo.com/wiiu (2012-present)